The TARDIS and her Strays
by Elionu
Summary: The TARDIS has a special relationship with not only her Thief, but with the strays the Doctor picks up from time to time, and she accepts them as her strays too. See what she thinks of each of the Doctor's companions. On temporary hiatus so I can work on my other stories.
1. An Unearthly ChildPrologue

**The TARDIS and her strays**

**(A/N: I do not own Doctor Who)**

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Oh my, my Thief, why do you not hear me when I call for you? Your mind is oh so young, but you're in an old body, and your telepathy has weakened over the centuries. You are oh so lonely, you and the Young One, travelling for many Gallifreyan orbital periods, seeing the universe, but all alone. But not for much longer, I see in your near future your lives will change forever, and for good, although you will not see it first. It is time to bring the future into motion.

What a lovely planet, they call it Earth. The beings look like you on the outside, my Thief; this will be a lovely place to explore for a while. The Young One's mind, while not linked to me as you are, is strong, yet untrained, and she desperately wants to explore on her own. Please do this for her, my Thief.

Moon cycles on this planet pass, and I remain in this place. I like this shape this time, my Thief, it is lovely, and square, and it is a pretty shade of blue, like much of this planet. What's this? My Chameleon Circuit has failed? Thief! Why do you not hear me when I call for you? Fix me Thief! I am breaking! But you do not hear me telling you what to fix! You putter around inside me, staying in this spot for the sake of the Young One, who now goes to a human school nearby. She is so happy, and she makes you happy. You are restless, like I am, and you want to leave again and explore. But I will not allow it yet. The time has not come. Something is soon to happen, Thief, which will change your life forever.

It is dark, and the Young One returns to me for the night. My Thief is outside. But he is not alone. No, there are two humans here. Who are they? Why do they seek my Young One? Are these the way that my Thief will become who he is meant to be? Very well, I will let them in my console room.

They enter, and feel me brushing gently against their minds, like a soft breath, but they do not notice, so astonished by my dimensions are they! The Wise One is fascinated, and is willing to accept me, despite not believing, while the other one, the Stubborn One does not believe, and tries to explain me away as a trick. Thief? What are you doing? Do you not hear how upset the Young One is that you do this? Why do you lift off with these humans on board? They are frightened too. But all you are is angry. I wish you could hear me properly again.

They do not understand, why do you not try to explain? You kidnapped them, they are scared and suspicious. And now you all nearly get yourself killed, too! Still, the Stubborn One stopped you from killing a primitive. I hope you learn from this, my thief.


	2. The First Ones

**Due to the fast positive response to this story, I now present little bits of what the TARDIS thinks of the Doctor's earliest companions. This story will alternate between these descriptions by the TARDIS, and her opinion of major events.**

**In order, the listed companions for this chapter are Barbara Wright, Ian Chesterton, Vicki Pallister, Steven Taylor, Katarina, Sara Kingdom, and Dodo Chaplet. Because someone was asking for clarification.**

**Susan is not included because the TARDIS does not consider her to be a stray.**

Chapter 2- The First Ones

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The Wise One

I like this one. She is very wise, not just in knowledge of the history of her planet, but in many things. She is wise beyond her time. She acts as a surrogate mother to the Young One, which the Young One desperately needs, still being a child. She is courageous and strong, even enough to yell at you, Thief, when you are being unreasonable to the others. The two of you can learn a great deal from each other. I can see that you will be the best of friends for a time, until she and the Stubborn One leave me. But don't worry, my Thief. They'll be all right. I can see in their timelines, and they are happy, together.

The Stubborn One

This one does not listen, but he knows better than to do anything stupid. He is reluctant to believe new things, but deep down, he is very curious, and wants to understand things that he doesn't understand. He is fiercely loyal and brave, and will do anything to protect his friends, which includes you, my Thief. He is also smart, considering the time he comes from. I know that the two of you pretend to not like each other, but you are both really great friends. Oh you will be sad, my Thief, when he leaves.

The Excited One

This Child, my thief, reminds me of the Young One. She is always curious, and always excited to experience new things. She learns from both the past and the future. She is still young, guide her, my Thief. She is brave, yet scared, and very clever too, considering her years. She began alone, and now has a family with you, the Wise One, the Stubborn One, and the Sorrowful One. She is the first stray you invited to travel with us, rather than kidnapped. You are happier around the Excited One, my Thief, and that is wonderful.

The Sorrowful One

This stray has lost so much in his young life. He lived through a war, and saw many people he knew die, and then crashed and was alone for a long time, and yet when you found him, my thief, he was so happy to see you and my strays. And then he loses the Excited One in history, and soon after, he had to watch the Dangerous One and the Innocent One die. He is incredibly strong; to go through so much, yet still stay sane. He has many people to mourn, much to grieve over, but he doesn't, for your sake, and for the sake of his friends.

The Innocent One

This one had more potential than she got the chance to live up to. But she didn't even understand what was going on. She even though you were a god, my thief! And yet she sacrificed herself to save your life. Her death was needless!

The Dangerous One

She never needed to die either. It was a hapless mistake. She may have been dangerous and somewhat untrustworthy, but she didn't need to die! She was aggressive in life, and strong-willed. Yet she was loyal.

The Eager One

My Thief, this child came with you by accident, but she was meant to travel with you and the Sorrowful One. She was very caring, and very curious, and she did get into trouble a lot of the time. But she was often happy, helping you and the Sorrowful One during this tough time that the three of you travelled together. I do not know what happened to her, as her timeline is confusing. If I did know, I would tell you, because you never had a proper goodbye from her.


	3. The Tenth Planet

**Interlude: The Tenth Planet**

My Thief, what has happened? You have worn out this body, and have only accelerated its decline with your running about stopping those cyborgs that call themselves "Cybermen". You knew this was coming, although you did not expect it so soon. Now you are too old and weak to even stand, and- Thief? Thief?

Oh sweet Rassilon, you can't even stay conscious for your first Change! You know perfectly well that the first Change cannot be done unconsciously! I shall have to help you, to ensure you do not use up all your lindos energy in one go.

The humans are frightened; they worry for you, as you vanish in a white light. They will not understand, you will need to help them, as I help you now.

My dear Thief, I will help you, though you cannot hear me. Indeed, you are unaware of anything now. I shall help you. You need to be younger, more energetic, able to physically keep up with your keen mind, but not too young, for then nobody would take you seriously! I can help guide you to a form, but not choose it for you.

Goodbye, my Old Thief.

Hello, my New Thief.


	4. Present, Past, and Future

**Here we see what the TARDIS thinks of the companions of the Second Doctor. In order they are: Ben Jackson, Polly Wright, Jamie McCrimmon, Victoria Waterfield, and Zoe Heriot.**

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The Practical One

This one is, as the humans say, "down-to-earth". He was even more skeptical at first than the Stubborn One, but he eventually accepted your Change, my Thief. He was always the first to try and think of a practical solution, and was clever enough not to always choose to fight. He had a great love for the Confident One, and treated the Loyal One like a brother. It was a shame that he, like the Confident One, was so focused on returning to his own home.

The Confident One

I liked this one as well, my Thief. She was headstrong, and wasn't afraid to stand up to enemies, especially if it was to rescue you, or the other two. She took care of the Practical One, and occasionally the Loyal One as well. But she was always looking to return to her own home-time. When she travelled with you, my Thief, she was good for you. They all are, in their own way.

The Loyal One

This one stayed with you for a very long time, my Thief, and he is one of my favorites, because of how he made you so very happy for so many years, in one of the toughest times in your life. You helped him grow up, my Thief, changing his life forever, and he did the same for you. You and he are two halves of a whole, and not even the mighty Time Lords themselves could keep you apart from one another. He is the one who has spent the most time with Us, my Thief. He would never abandon you and you did not abandon him until he became too old to travel anymore. This kind of connection only happens once a Self.

The Frightened One

The poor child you took in had nowhere else to go, had lost her whole family, and if not for you, would have been left on war-torn Skaro! She became like a daughter to you. She wanted so very much to enjoy this kind of life, but alas, travelling the stars is not for everyone. The terror and sorrow and danger scarred her. But she was very sensible, in many ways more sensible than you! She lives a very happy life in a future world.

The Clever One

She was smarter than you, my Thief, in many ways, but in other ways very much a child still. She loved travelling with you, exploring the worlds and having real experiences, rather than just knowledge. With you and the Loyal One she learned what it is to be human. It is a pity that her memories were lost, and all that growth gone. She will never remember you, but will dream of the amazing places she traveled to with Us.


	5. A Relief and a Curse

**A/N: this takes place at the very end of Season 6B, as the Doctor's second regeneration is being resumed. This is a very sad chapter. Please read and review.**

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Oh my Thief, this is a bittersweet moment. They're finally releasing you from your service. It has taken its toll on you, and They stopped me from helping, by taking you out of your timestream. Your hair was once black, now it is white as the snow on Mount Lung. Your life has been extended far too long for this body to bear, but they made you plod along, stretched, thin, and weary. You far outlived The Loyal One, and have had no companionship for hundreds of Earth years. You survive, but you no longer truly live. You want it to end, but you don't because it means your exile. But ever since you lost the Loyal One, you've stopped caring anymore. My poor, poor Thief.

But this is it. Now we are being returned to our proper time-stream, you and me. It is a relief to both of us, yet horrifying at the same time. You collapse from your exhaustion on the floor inside me, as I am whisked away to Earth. Now that the Time Lords have taken away your sentence, your artificial prolonging of life in this body takes its toll, and you can no longer function. The Change is coming again, and to you it is a release. You are too far gone to care about your personality disappearing, and becoming an entirely new person. I remember what you will look like, but you will not remember your time with the Celestial Intervention Agency; the memory wipe has taken its toll.

You are engulfed in a white light as you change, crumpled in a heap on my floor. You grow much taller, your formerly-too-small clothes stretch and rip as you become too large for them. Your hair loses its white, and appears grey now. You look older than when you started your last body, but much younger than you looked moments ago. The Exile Brand is the only sign of your hardships that remain.

My power to steer is being removed, but I will do all I can to take care of you. I focus all my remaining energy to land in the south of England, where you have friends. Oh Thief, despite you no longer being able to hear me, and I no longer being able to travel, I will look after you how I can. I will not abandon you.

Get up, my Thief. Just one last push, for me. That's it, wake up. I know you are weak, but you must do this, for me, please. See, the door is open. Stumble out, so that the humans can find you. I shall not be able to help you anymore for a while, forced to stay in one place, crippled and mute. I love you, my Thief, my Doctor.


End file.
